a. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to computer-based address books and particularly Internet accessible address book systems. The present invention is primarily directed to an advanced address book system that includes software that operates more like human thinking and offers additional features not heretofore offered by conventional computer-based address books. In particular, the present invention offers at least three dimensions or choices of queries, including a name search that includes comparative, connective and logic generated assistance for the user.
b. Description of Related Art
The following patents are representative of advances in computerized address book system and/or multiple message transmission technology:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,940,951 B2 describes a speech enabled automatic name dialer dialing system for connection to a telephone system, that includes a user computer with a computer-based address book program for retrieval of name-telephone number data for creation of speech enabling phoneme sets for autodialing by speaking a name and utilizing telephone application programming interface (TAPI) for use with user telephones connected to a PBX-type telephony mechanism. User computers have a microphone and speaker and contain at least one loaded address book program. There is software with access to the data base that creates name phonemes corresponding to the name-telephone number data; and software to access computer-based address book programs, to receive voice inputs from the telephony mechanism to create converted phonemes from the spoken names to match voice inputs with specific name-telephone number data from the computer-based address book programs for initiating an automatic dialing. Related U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,911 B2 describes a speech enabled automatic telephone dialer device, system, and method using a spoken name corresponding to name-telephone number data of computer-based address book programs. The invention includes user telephones connected to a PBX-type telephony mechanism, which is connected to a telephony board of a name dialer device. User computer workstations containing loaded address book programs with name-telephone number data are connected to the name dialer device. The name dialer device includes a host computer in a network; a telephony board for controlling the PBX for dialing; a memory within the host computer for storing software and name-telephone number data; and, software to access computer-based address book programs, to receive voice inputs from the PBX-type telephony mechanism, to create converted phonemes from names to match voice inputs with specific name-telephone number data from the computer-based address book programs for initiating an automatic dialing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,607 B1 describes a system and method that automatically provides dynamically generated completion information for facilitating user input of email addresses or contact information. This completion information is developed from a “data store” comprised of multiple data sources such as previously sent or received mail, and other types of electronic files such as word processor or spreadsheet files. The present invention monitors and uses the information in the data store to automatically store, track, maintain, and organize data entries in a dynamic “resolution list”. As a user begins to input an email address or contact, the present invention can either automatically complete the entry using a most probable result from the resolution list, or can display a list of likely matches from which the user may select the desired email address or contact. U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,299 B1 describes a system, method, and computer readable medium containing computer readable instructions for causing a computer to parse selected electronic contact information into fields of a record for storage in a contact database for use by an electronic address book program without opening the electronic address book module. The system may include a selection module that permits a user to select electronic contact information, an initiation module that enables a user to initiate parsing of the selected electronic contact information into fields of a record for storage in the contact database, a parsing module that parses the electronic contact information into fields of a record in a format for storage in the contact database, and a storage module that stores a record from the fields assigned by the parsing module in the contact database. The selection module and the initiation module may operate through operation of a select and click combination through use of a computer mouse and selection of a computer screen icon presented to the user by the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,369 B1 describes a network-computer-based personal contact manager system wherein users of networked clients maintain and update a set of user information which is stored in a relational database on a networked server. The personal contact manager system allows each user to specify on an individual basis which of their contacts are permitted to access respective datums of their user information. In some cases, and assuming permission is granted, the system will issue notifications (e.g., by e-mail) to a user's contacts when the user changes his information or when a preset event, such as a birthday, as defined by the user, is to occur. The system also allows users to find contacts based on common group affiliations and notifies users when there are coincidences in their data (e.g., travel plans, astrological compatibility). The personal contact manager system supports the retrieval of information on the contacts of contacts, assuming such as permission has been granted by the contacts and their contacts, and can also be used to synchronize the server database with a PIM database of the user and any contacts of the user who have the appropriate permissions.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.